An-Nu'man b. Bashir told that his father brought him to God’s Messenger and said, "I have given this son of mine a slave.” He asked whether he had given all his children the same, and when he replied that he had not, he told him to take him back. A version reports him as asking, "Would you like them to show you equal filial piety?” When he replied that he would, he said, "Don’t do it then.” In a version he said that his father gave him a gift, but' Amra* daughter of Rawaha said, "I shall not be satisfied till you call God's Messenger as witness.” So he went to him and said, "I have given my son from ‘Amra daughter of Rawaha a gift and she has ordered me to call you as witness, Messenger of God.” He asked whether he had given the rest of his children the same, and when he replied that he had not, he said, "Fear God and act equally with your children.” He said that he then returned and took back his gift. A version quotes him as saying, "I shall not be a witness to oppression.”
* She was the wife of Bashir b, Sad al-Ansari and mother of an-Nu'man (Isti'ab, p. 746).
Ibn ‘Umar and Ibn ‘Abbas reported the Prophet as saying, “It is not lawful for a man to give a gift and then take it back, except a father regarding what he gives his child. One who gives a gift and then takes it back is like a dog which eats and vomits when it is full, then returns to its vomit."
Abu Dawud, Tirmidhi, Nasa’i and Ibn Majah transmitted it, Tirmidhi saying it is sahih.
Ibn ‘Abbas reported God’s Messenger as saying, "One who seeks to take back a gift is like a dog which returns to its vomit. An evil example does not apply to us*.”
* i.e. to Muslims.
